Autonomous seismic node handling and storage system

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of systems and methods for storing and handling a plurality of autonomous seismic nodes are presented. The node handling and storage system may be coupled to a node deployment system that deploys and/or retrieves nodes from water from the back deck of a marine vessel. One embodiment of the node handling and storage system includes a plurality of portable containers that may be assembled in a variety of configurations based on the vessel and survey requirements. The containers are coupled to an autonomous or semi-autonomous node conveyor and/or transport system that moves the nodes between and within the containers for node cleaning, downloading, charging, servicing, and storage. The conveyor system may include a plurality of different transport devices and/or systems, such as rotatable conveyors, lateral conveyors, lift mechanisms, and elevators.

PRIORITY

The present application is a continuation application of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/711,262, filed on May 13, 2015, which claimspriority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/993,744, filed onMay 15, 2014. The entire contents of each of the above documents ishereby incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD

This application is directed to marine seismic systems, and moreparticularly to the storage and handling of autonomous seismic nodes ona marine vessel.

BACKGROUND

Marine seismic data acquisition and processing generates a profile(image) of a geophysical structure under the seafloor. Reflectionseismology is a method of geophysical exploration to determine theproperties of the Earth's subsurface, which is especially helpful indetermining an accurate location of oil and gas reservoirs or anytargeted features. Marine reflection seismology is based on using acontrolled source of energy (typically acoustic energy) that sends theenergy through seawater and subsurface geologic formations. Thetransmitted acoustic energy propagates downwardly through the subsurfaceas acoustic waves, also referred to as seismic waves or signals. Bymeasuring the time it takes for the reflections or refractions to comeback to seismic receivers (also known as seismic data recorders ornodes), it is possible to evaluate the depth of features causing suchreflections. These features may be associated with subterraneanhydrocarbon deposits or other geological structures of interest.

In general, either ocean bottom cables (OBC) or ocean bottom nodes (OBN)are placed on the seabed. For OBC systems, a cable is placed on theseabed by a surface vessel and may include a large number of seismicsensors, typically connected every 25 m or 50 meters into the cable. Thecable provides support to the sensors, and acts as a transmission mediumfor power to the sensors and data received from the sensors. One suchcommercial system is offered by Sercel under the name SeaRay®. RegardingOBN systems, and as compared to seismic streamers and OBC systems, OBNsystems have nodes that are discrete, autonomous units (no directconnection to other nodes or to the marine vessel) where data is storedand recorded or integrally linked (via communications and/or power) viawire or wireless links (such as acoustic, electromagnetic, or opticallinks). One such OBN system is offered by the Applicant under the nameTrilobit®. For OBN systems, seismic data recorders are placed directlyon the ocean bottom by a variety of mechanisms, including by the use ofone or more of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), Remotely OperatedVehicles (ROVs), by dropping or diving from a surface or subsurfacevessel, or by attaching autonomous nodes to a cable that is deployedbehind a marine vessel.

Autonomous ocean bottom nodes are independent seismometers, and in atypical application they are self-contained units comprising a housing,frame, skeleton, or shell that includes various internal components suchas geophone and hydrophone sensors, a data recording unit, a referenceclock for time synchronization, and a power source. The power sourcesare typically battery-powered, and in some instances the batteries arerechargeable. In operation, the nodes remain on the seafloor for anextended period of time. Once the data recorders are retrieved, the datais downloaded and batteries may be replaced or recharged in preparationof the next deployment

A marine vessel should be configured to efficiently deploy and recovernodes before and after their use in the water. The existing techniquesfor attaching an autonomous node to a cable suffer from manydisadvantages. Further, the techniques in which such nodes are deployedand retrieved from a marine vessel, as well as the manner in which suchnodes are stored and handled on the vessel, suffer from manydisadvantages. A novel node handling system is needed that isautonomous, limits the need for operator involvement and handling of thenodes, and is very fast and efficient. A novel node handling system isneeded that is easily portable and/or moveable and is highlycustomizable based on the needs of the survey and/or vessel. A novelnode handling system is needed that provides a high capacity of nodes(e.g., a vessel that may store and utilize thousands of nodes for asurvey) based on a limited footprint and use of the vessel's space. Oneof ordinary skill will recognize several additional problems withpermanently installed conventional deck handling and storage systems forautonomous seismic nodes that can be solved with a novel node handlingsystem.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of systems and methods for storing and handling a pluralityof autonomous seismic nodes are presented. The node handling and storagesystem may be coupled to a node deployment system that deploys and/orretrieves nodes from the water from the back deck of a marine vessel.One embodiment of the node handling and storage system includes aplurality of portable containers that may be assembled in a variety ofconfigurations based on the vessel and survey requirements. In oneembodiment, each of the containers is arranged such that a side wall ofa container is adjacent to the side wall of another container. Aconveyor system may be coupled to each of the plurality of containersand is configured to transport nodes between and within each of thecontainers. In one embodiment, the conveyor system may comprise aplurality of different transport devices and/or systems, such asrotatable conveyors, lateral conveyors, lift mechanisms, and elevators.Each container may comprise a plurality of different conveyor systems.The node handling and storage system may include a plurality of storagecontainers, each of which may be arranged to hold more than 500 nodes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The following drawings form part of the present specification and areincluded to further demonstrate certain aspects of the presentinvention. The invention may be better understood by reference to one ormore of these drawings in combination with the detailed description ofspecific embodiments presented herein.

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a systemfor marine deployment of an autonomous seismic node.

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of a systemfor marine deployment of an autonomous seismic node.

FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view diagram of one embodiment of anautonomous seismic node.

FIG. 2B illustrates a perspective view diagram of another embodiment ofan autonomous seismic node.

FIG. 3 illustrates a deck layout of one embodiment of an autonomous nodehandling and storage system.

FIG. 4 illustrates a deck layout of another embodiment of an autonomousnode handling and storage system.

FIGS. 5A-5H illustrate various components of a node conveyor and/ortransport system of the disclosed embodiment.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate one embodiment of a cleaning container from atop and side perspective, respectively.

FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate one embodiment of a downloading/chargingcontainer from a top, side, and front perspective, respectively.

FIGS. 8A and 8B illustrate one embodiment of a service container from atop and side perspective, respectively.

FIGS. 9A-9C illustrate one embodiment of a storage container from a top,side, and front perspective, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various features and advantageous details are explained more fully withreference to the nonlimiting embodiments that are illustrated in theaccompanying drawings and detailed in the following description.Descriptions of well-known starting materials, processing techniques,components, and equipment are omitted so as not to unnecessarily obscurethe invention in detail. It should be understood, however, that thedetailed description and the specific examples, while indicatingembodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, andnot by way of limitation. Various substitutions, modifications,additions, and/or rearrangements within the spirit and/or scope of theunderlying inventive concept will become apparent to those skilled inthe art from this disclosure. The following detailed description doesnot limit the invention.

Reference throughout the specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” means that a particular feature, structure, orcharacteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included inat least one embodiment of the subject matter disclosed. Thus, theappearance of the phrases “in one embodiment” or “in an embodiment” invarious places throughout the specification is not necessarily referringto the same embodiment. Further, the particular features, structures, orcharacteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or moreembodiments.

The present embodiments include systems, methods, and apparatuses forhandling and storing a plurality of autonomous seismic ocean bottomnodes. In an embodiment, the node handling and storage system is modularand/or container-based, such that the addition and/or removal offunction specific containers (e.g., service, storage,downloading/charging, cleaning, etc.) based on the particular surveyand/or vessel requirements is straightforward. The containers arestandardized and highly portable, and can be transported via a varietyof mechanisms (train, boat, truck, etc.) to a wide variety of vesselsand configured on board the deck of a marine vessel. The containers maybe transported onboard regular container vessels as opposed to moreexpensive vessel transports. The disclosed embodiment provides anautonomous, high-speed node handling system that is configured to storethousands of nodes for use in a seismic survey. The disclosed nodestorage and handling system provides a high capacity node storage systemin a compact and efficient manner that is useable on a variety ofvessels. This volume of node storage and handling in a small footprinton a vessel is significantly greater than the volume of nodes used,stored, and handled in conventional autonomous node deployment andretrieval operations. Further, the system may be configured as a fullyautomated handling system that improves safety and efficiency byproviding minimal human physical interaction with the node as otherwiserequired by conventional autonomous node retrieval and handlingoperations.

Node Deployment

FIGS. 1A and 1B illustrate a layout of a seabed seismic recorder systemthat may be used with autonomous seismic nodes for marine deployment.FIG. 1A is a diagram illustrating one embodiment of a marine deploymentsystem 100 for marine deployment of seismic nodes 110. One or moremarine vessels deploy and recover a cable (or rope) with attached sensornodes according to a particular survey pattern. In an embodiment, thesystem includes a marine vessel 106 designed to float on a surface 102of a body of water, which may be a river, lake, ocean, or any other bodyof water. The marine vessel 106 may deploy the seismic nodes 110 in thebody of water or on the floor 104 of the body of water, such as aseabed. In an embodiment, the marine vessel 106 may include one or moredeployment lines 108 (i.e., deployment cables). One or more seismicnodes 110 may be attached directly to the deployment line 108.Additionally, the marine deployment system 100 may include one or moreacoustic positioning transponders 112, one or more weights 114, one ormore pop up buoys 116, and one or more surface reference buoys 118. Asis standard in the art, weights 114 can be used at various positions ofthe cable to facilitate the lowering and positioning of the cable, andfixed marker buoys 118 or subsurface releasable buoys 116 may be used onthe cable to locate, retrieve, and/or raise various portions of thecable. Acoustic positioning transponders 112 may also be usedselectively on various portions of the cable to determine the positionsof the cable/sensors during deployment and post deployment. The acousticpositioning transponders 112 may transmit an acoustic signal to themarine vessel for indicating the positioning of the seismic nodes 110 onthe sea floor 104. In an embodiment, the weights 114 may be coupled tothe deployment line 108 and be arranged to keep the seismic nodes 110 ina specific position relative to the sea floor 104 at various points,such as during start, stop, and snaking of the deployment line 108.

FIG. 1B is a close-up view illustrating one embodiment of a system 100for marine deployment of seismic nodes 110. In an embodiment, thedeployment line 108 may be a metal cable (steel, galvanized steel, orstainless steel). Alternatively, the deployment line 108 may includechain linkage, rope (polymer), wire, or any other suitable material fortethering to the marine vessel 106 and deploying one or more seismicnodes 110. In an embodiment, the deployment line 108 and the seismicnodes 110 may be stored on the marine vessel 106. For example, thedeployment line may be stored on a spool or reel or winch. The seismicnodes 110 may be stored in one or more storage containers. One ofordinary skill may recognize alternative methods for storing anddeploying the deployment line 108 and the seismic nodes 110.

In one embodiment, the deployment line 108 and seismic nodes 110 arestored on marine vessel 106 and deployed from a back deck of the vessel106, although other deployment locations from the vessel can be used. Asis well known in the art, a deployment line 108, such as a rope orcable, with a weight attached to its free end is dropped from the backdeck of the vessel. The seismic nodes 110 are preferably directlyattached in-line to the deployment line 108 at a regular interval (suchas 25 meters) while the deployment line 108 is lowered through the watercolumn and draped linearly or at varied spacing onto the seabed. Duringrecovery each seismic node 110 may be clipped off the deployment line108 as it reaches deck level of the vessel 106. Preferably, nodes 110are clipped directly onto the deployment line 108 in an automatedprocess using node attachment or coupling machines on board the deck ofthe marine vessel 106 at one or more workstations or containers.Likewise, a coupling machine is configured to decouple or otherwisedisengage the seismic nodes 110 from the deployment line 108, and insome instances may use a detachment tool for such detaching.Alternatively, the seismic nodes 110 can be attached via manual orsemi-automatic methods. The seismic nodes 110 can be attached to thedeployment line 108 in a variety of configurations, which allows forproper rotation of the seismic node 110 about the deployment line 108and allows for minimal axial movement on the deployment line 108. Forexample, the deployment line 108 can be attached to the top, side, orcenter of a seismic node 110 via a variety of configurations.

Once the deployment line 108 and the seismic nodes 110 are deployed onthe sea floor 104, a seismic survey can be performed. One or more marinevessels 106 may contain a seismic energy source (not shown) and transmitacoustic signals to the sea floor 104 for data acquisition by theseismic nodes 110. Embodiments of the system 100 may be deployed in bothcoastal and offshore waters in various depths of water. For example, thesystem may be deployed in a few meters of water or in up to severalthousand meters of water. In some embodiments, the depth may be betweentwenty (20) meters and five hundred (500) meters or more. In someconfigurations the marker buoy 118 or the pop up buoy 116 may beretrieved by the marine vessel 106 when the seismic nodes 110 are to beretrieved from the sea floor 104. Thus, the system 110 may not requireretrieval by means of a submersible or diver. Rather, the pop up buoy116 or marker buoy 118 may be picked up on the surface 102 and thedeployment line 108 may be retrieved along with the seismic nodes 110.

As mentioned above, ocean bottom nodes (OBNs) can be placed on theseabed in a variety of different mechanisms. In one embodiment, one ormore marine vessels deploy and recover a cable (or rope) with attachedOBNs according to a particular survey pattern. As discussed above, oneor more nodes may be attached directly to the deployment line using alocking mechanism on the node or can be coupled to the line via a ropeor other coupling line. In other embodiments, rather than using sensorsor nodes directly attached to a deployment line, the nodes can be placedby a tethered remotely operated vehicle (ROV) on the seafloor, as isknown in the art, such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,975,560,incorporated herein by reference. With this method, a marine vessel willtypically have one or more ROVs and a plurality of OBNs, and mayseparately or in conjunction lower the ROVs and OBNs close to theseabed. The ROV then individually places each node on the seabed in thedesired location. When the nodes are to be removed from the seabed, thenodes can be recovered by an ROV and received by the surface vessel witha variety of mechanisms. In still other embodiments, an OBN may be partof and/or coupled to an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV), such thatthe AUV (and node/sensor) is steered from a marine vessel or othersubsea location to the intended seabed destination for the survey anddata recording, as described in U.S. Publication No. 2013/0083624,incorporated herein by reference. Once the survey is complete, the AUVscan either be recovered and/or steered back to the marine vessel fordata downloading of the nodes and seismic data. While the disclosed nodedeployment system attaches the nodes to a cable, the storage andhandling system described herein is not necessarily limited to anyparticular deployment and/or retrieval method or system of theautonomous seismic nodes.

Autonomous Seismic Node Design

FIG. 2A illustrates a perspective view diagram of an autonomous seismicnode 110. The seismic node 110 may include a body 202, such as ahousing, frame, skeleton, or shell, which may be easily dissembled intovarious components. Additionally, the seismic node 110 may include oneor more battery cells 204. In an embodiment, the battery cells 204 maybe lithium-ion battery cells or rechargeable battery packs for anextended day endurance (such as 90 days) on the seabed, but one ofordinary skill will recognize that a variety of alternative battery celltypes or configurations may also be used. Additionally, the seismic nodemay include a pressure release valve 216 configured to release unwantedpressure from the seismic node 110 at a pre-set level. The valveprotects against fault conditions like water intrusion and outgassingfrom a battery package. Additionally, the seismic node may include anelectrical connector 214 configured to allow external access toinformation stored by internal electrical components, datacommunication, and power transfer. During the deployment the connectoris covered by a pressure proof watertight cap 218 (shown in FIG. 2B). Inother embodiments, the node does not have an external connector and datais transferred to and from the node wirelessly, such as viaelectromagnetic or optical links.

In an embodiment, the internal electrical components may include one ormore hydrophones 210, one or more (preferably three) geophones 206 oraccelerometers, and a data recorder 212. In an embodiment, the datarecorder 212 may be a digital autonomous recorder configured to storedigital data generated by the sensors or data receivers, such ashydrophone 210 and the one or more geophones or accelerometers 206. Oneof ordinary skill will recognize that more or fewer components may beincluded in the seismic node 110. For example, there are a variety ofsensors that can be incorporated into the node including and notexclusively, inclinometers, rotation sensors, translation sensors, andmagnetometers. Except for the hydrophone, these components arepreferably contained within the node housing that is resistant totemperatures and pressures at the bottom of the ocean, as is well knownin the art.

While the node in FIG. 2A is circular in shape, the node can be anyvariety of geometric configurations, including square, rectangular,hexagonal, octagonal, cylindrical, and spherical, among other designs,and may or may not be symmetrical about its central axis. In oneembodiment, the node consists of a watertight, sealed case or housingthat contains all of the node's internal components. In one embodiment,the node is square or substantially square shaped so as to besubstantially a quadrilateral, as shown in FIG. 2B. One of skill in theart will recognize that such a node is not a two-dimensional object, butincludes a height, and in one embodiment may be considered a box, cube,elongated cube, or cuboid. In one embodiment, the node is approximately350 mm×350 mm wide/deep with a height of approximately 150 mm.

In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2B, the node's pressurizedhousing may be coupled to an external node housing 240 that may includeintegrated fenders and/or bumpers. Various portions of the node housing240 may be open and expose the pressurized node housing as needed, suchas for hydrophone 210, node locks 220, and data/power transferconnection 214 (shown with a fitted pressure cap 218 in FIG. 2B). In oneembodiment, the upper and lower portions of the fender housing include aplurality of gripping teeth or protrusions 242 for engaging the seabedand for general storage and handling needs. In other embodiments, abumper is attached to each of the corners of the node housing via boltsor pins. In another embodiment, portions of the housing, such as thecorners, include grooved pockets or recesses or receptacles that engagea corresponding mating unit on the node housing for integratedstacking/storing of the nodes. External node housing 240 provides manyfunctions, such as protecting the node from shocks and rough treatment,coupling the node to the seabed for better readings and stability, andassisting in the stackability, storing, alignment, and handling of thenodes. Each node housing may be made of a durable material such asrubber, plastic, carbon fiber, or metal.

Node Storage and Handling System

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic of one embodiment of a deck handlingsystem. While the deck handling system may be located on any portion ofthe vessel, in one embodiment it is located on the back deck of a marinevessel. Of relevance to FIG. 3, the vessel 301 comprises a back, end, oraft section 302 and two sides 303. For convenience purposes, the rest ofthe marine vessel is not shown in FIG. 3. As shown, in one embodiment anode storage and handling system 300 is coupled to one or moredeployment systems 380. An autonomous seismic node deployment system mayinclude one or more winches 382, one or more node installation devices384, one or more tension control systems 386, one or more overboardunits 388, and other devices and/or systems to facilitate deploymentand/or retrieval of a plurality of autonomous seismic nodes from thewater before and after the nodes are used in a seismic survey. In oneembodiment, the node deployment system 380 is configured to attach anddetach a plurality of nodes 110 to a deployment cable or rope 108 andfor the deployment and retrieval of the cable into the water. In analternative embodiment, the marine vessel includes two such nodedeployment systems, with the second system being either a backup or usedsimultaneously as the first system. Node storage and handling system 300is configured to handle the nodes before and after the deployment andretrieval operations performed by node deployment system 380.

The node handling system 300 is configured such that each operationaltask is located within a module/container. In one embodiment, eachcontainer has separate control systems for local and/or remote operationof the tasks performed in the container. With thismodular/container-based system, the addition and/or removal of serviceand storage containers based on the particular survey and/or vesselrequirements is straightforward. In one embodiment, the node handlingsystem 300 consists of a set of containerized systems for node storage,charging/downloading, cleaning, data handling, and maintenance systems,which are interconnected by conveyor or transport systems to thedeployment area where the individual nodes are fixed to the cable beforebeing deployed from the rear of the vessel.

One embodiment of the node handling system 300 uses standard sized ISOshipping containers in a plurality of configurations for efficienthandling and storage of the nodes. Standard sized containers aretypically 20 or 40 feet long and 8 feet wide. The heights of suchcontainers may vary from 8 feet for standard height containers to 10feet, 6 inches for high-cube or purpose made containers. In otherembodiments, containers may be custom designed and ISO certified. Eachcontainer preferably has a floor, roof, and sidewalls, with variousportions removed to facilitate transfer of nodes from each container asneeded, or to allow service personnel access to the container. Thecontent of each container is modified for the particular task of thecontainer, such as cleaning, storage, data transfer, charging,deployment, etc. The containers can be transported via air, road, train,or sea to a destination harbor and mobilized on a suitable vessel. Thecontainers may be transferred to the deck of a vessel via a crane orother lifting device and then secured to the deck and coupled to eachother through various fastening mechanisms. The containers may bepositioned side to side, end to end, and even on top of each other (upto 3 or 4 levels high) on the deck depending on the specific layout ofthe containers, need of the survey, and requirements of the vessel. Thesystem setup may vary from job to job and from vessel to vessel, in bothlayout and number of modules/containers utilized. In one embodiment, aconveyor system may be used to transfer nodes from at least onecontainer to another container and within the containers, and anelevator system may be used to transfer nodes and other equipment fromcontainers on the lower deck to containers on upper decks (and viceversa). As an additional embodiment, any given container may havemultiple conveyor systems or robots to facilitate the particular tasksperformed in the container. Various configurations of the deck handlingsystem on the marine vessel are consistent with the disclosedembodiments herein. For example, for some vessels or surveys, only thelower deck may be used, while for other vessels or surveys both thelower and one or more upper decks (which includes extra containers)might be used.

FIG. 3 illustrates a deck layout of one embodiment of a node handlingand storage system 300. In one embodiment, the node handling and storagesystem comprises a first plurality of containers 310 (located on a lowerdeck) and a second plurality of containers 320 (located on an upperdeck). In one embodiment, the node handling system comprises at leastone container 312 for cleaning, washing and drying of the nodes, aplurality of containers 314 for battery recharge and/or datadownloading, at least one service container 316 that is configured as aservice and maintenance workshop, a plurality of containers 318 forstorage of nodes, and a plurality of containers 319 for the storage ofauxiliary equipment, such as transponders and weights. In oneembodiment, each container of the node handling system 300 is placedside by side on the back deck of the vessel. In contrast, one or more ofthe containers of node deployment system 380 may be placed end to end.In this configuration, the containers of the node handling system aresubstantially perpendicular to the length of the vessel and thecontainers of the node deployment system are substantially parallel tothe length of the vessel. As shown in FIG. 3, some or all of thecontainers may have doors on the front and/or back portions of thecontainers for access and/or entry by personnel. A plurality of nodes110 are shown at various portions of the node handling system and withinthe various containers.

The node handling system 300 also comprises a conveyor and/or transportsystem 350. Conveyor system 350 is configured to transfer the nodesbetween the containers and to and from the deployment system. Conveyorsystem 350 has a first portion 352 that is at least partially withincleaning container 312 and is substantially parallel to the long side ofthe container and substantially perpendicular to the deployment line 108and deployment system 380. Conveyor system 350 has a point of entry/exit351 between the node deployment system and the node handling system. Theconveyor system transfers the plurality of nodes from the node handlingsystem via point 351 to the node deployment system, which attachesand/or detaches the nodes from a deployment cable in an automated,semi-automated, or manual fashion. Conveyor system 350 also comprises asecond conveyor portion 354 that is configured to transfer the nodesbetween the plurality of containers of the node handling system, andthus may be considered a cross-container conveyor system. A portion ofconveyor system 354 is located within each of the plurality ofcontainers forming a substantially straight path between the adjacentcontainers. Second conveyor system portion 354 is located substantiallyperpendicular to first conveyor system portion 352. A hole or opening islocated in the long sides of each container and arranged such that nodesand the conveyor system may pass between each of the containers. Duringtransport, each opening may have a covering or hatch that seals theopening, and when the containers are mobilized onto the ship such acovering/hatch must be removed before putting the containers adjacent toeach other. An automatic fire gate may also be part of each opening,which is configured to close in the event of a fire in a container andallows one container to be sealed off from the other containers in caseof a fire. Conveyor system 350 may also include one or more transportsystems in one or more of the plurality of containers to transport thenodes within an individual container. Conveyor system 350 may alsoinclude numerous types of conveyor sub-systems, such as conveyor systemsthat rotate an individual node in a plurality of directions, conveyorsystems that move the node to a different height and/or elevation, andconveyor systems that merely transport the node horizontally.

As mentioned above, for some vessels or surveys, multiple decks orlevels of containers may be used for the node handling system. FIG. 3illustrates one layout of an upper or top deck 320 of a node handlingsystem according to one embodiment. This structure largely follows theconfiguration of the lower deck handling system 310, and in oneembodiment, each of the lower and upper deck handling systems comprisenine containers (for a total of 18 containers). In general, the upperdeck node handling system 320 includes a second plurality of containersthat sit directly on top of a first plurality of containers 310 on thelower deck. The second plurality of containers may include additionalnode storage containers 328 for additional node capacity, generalequipment storage containers 322, and a plurality of containers 324 forcommunication, operating, instrument, and navigation data processingsystems. Alternatively, one or more of these containers can be made intoan instrument room or office area, with the appropriate stairs (insideor outside of the containers) connecting the first and second decks. Inone embodiment, second level storage containers 328 are placed directlyabove and/or on top of first level storage containers 318. An elevatormechanism 340 (described in more detail relating to FIG. 5H) can be usedto transfer nodes from the first deck to the second deck, and a conveyorsystem 356 may be used to transfer nodes between elevator mechanism 340and storage containers 328. Alternatively, each storage container mayinclude an elevator or vertical conveyor belt or mechanism fortransferring the nodes from a lower to upper deck node storagecontainer. In one embodiment, each storage container 328 and thetransport systems therein on the second deck is substantially similar tothe storage containers 318 and the transport systems therein on thefirst deck.

FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of a node handling system layouton the back deck of a marine vessel 401. This other embodimentillustrates the versatility and customization of the containerconfiguration of the node handling system, which may vary based uponsurvey or vessel requirements. As in FIG. 3, node handling system 400 iscoupled to a node deployment system 480, which in this case comprises anoverboard unit 482, a roping/deroping unit 484, and a winch unit 486.Also shown on the vessel 401 is an optional crane location 402 on theback deck (which can also be located at other locations on the vessel)to handle light equipment or support overboard deployment/recoveryoperations and crane base location 403, which is a larger vessel basedcrane that can be used for installing the container system on the vesselduring mobilization. The components of the node handling system 400 aresubstantially similar to the components of the node handling system 300,but the arrangement and quantity of the components is different. Likethe containers in system 300, each of the containers in node storage andhandling system 400 is arranged side to side such that a conveyor system450 is configured to move a plurality of nodes between the containersand to/from the node deployment system. A first group of containers 410is positioned apart from a second group of containers 420. The firstgroup of containers may be service and/or storage containers and thesecond group of containers may be for control systems, navigation,processing, navigation, and ersonnel. In contrast to system 300, storagecontainers 418 are located near the aft portion of vessel 401. In oneembodiment, four storage containers 418 are positioned adjacent to eachother starting from near the aft portion of the vessel. Additionalcontainers, in order from the back to front of the vessel, include aservice container 414, a downloading/charging container 415, anadditional fifth storage container 416 with a plurality of chargednodes, a cleaning container 412, and a weight/transponder container 419.In one embodiment, each storage container holds approximately 1000nodes, such that the node handling system 400 is configured to storeapproximately 5000 nodes with five storage containers. This volume ofnode storage and handling in a small footprint on a vessel issignificantly greater than the volume of nodes used in conventionalautonomous node deployment and retrieval operations. In one embodiment,the node deployment system and node handling system are coupled by aplurality of conveyors. Conveyor 451 may be configured to receive nodesfrom the node deployment system after they have been retrieved from thesea and direct the nodes to the cleaning container 412 for cleaning.Conveyor 452 may be configured to send nodes from storage container 416to the node deployment system. Nodes stored in storage container 416 maybe fully charged and ready for deployment, and conveyor 452 allows thenode handling system to more quickly transport nodes to the nodedeployment system. Conveyor system 450 may be configured to transportnodes within and between the plurality of containers and may besubstantially similar to conveyor system 350.

In operation, the node handling and storage system may operateautonomously or semi-autonomously before and after the nodes have beendeployed and/or retrieved from the ocean. The system can operate in adeployment mode (e.g., sending nodes to the node deployment system fordeployment into the water) or storage mode (e.g., receiving nodes fromthe node deployment system for temporary or permanent storage). Theprocesses related to the storage mode are detailed below in relation toFIG. 3, realizing that the processes and/or operations related to thedeployment mode are performed in generally a reverse manner as opposedto the storage mode, and the processes may vary based upon theconfiguration of the node handling system.

Referring to FIG. 3, in one embodiment after the seismic survey has beencompleted, the cable is retrieved, and one or more of a plurality ofnodes 110 are detached from the cable, the nodes are transferred one ata time from the deployment system to cleaning container 312. Whenwashing and/or drying is finished for a particular node, the node movesalong a conveyor into charging/downloading container 314. Once datadownloading and/or battery recharge is completed for a plurality ofnodes, the plurality of nodes are moved from container 314 to servicecontainer 316. If individual nodes need servicing (such as those havingproblems with downloading and/or charging in the downloading/chargingcontainer 314), individual nodes can be selected through the automatedsystem to be individually transported to a workstation within servicecontainer 316 for maintenance, service, and/or inspection. Nodes thathave not been identified as having problems continue through servicecontainer 316 to one of the storage containers 318 or via the externalelevator system 340 to storage containers 328. In one embodiment, aspecific row within a specific rack of a storage container is firstfilled to capacity with nodes. When a specific row reaches maximumcapacity of node storage, the conveyor system transports the nextplurality of nodes to a different row. Based on motion controllers, RFIDreaders, and other positioning systems, the node handling and storagesystem is configured to detect and/or know when a certain row hasreached its node storage capacity. Further, the node handling andstorage system may be pre-programmed to fill particular storage rows ina particular order. Once a particular storage container is full, nodespass through that storage container on the cross-container transportsystem into another storage container. If upper deck storage containersare used, the nodes may also be transferred from the lower deck to theupper deck via elevator 340. If weights and/or transponders are coupledto the deployment line, such devices may be transferred directly fromthe node deployment system to containers 319 or may pass through thecleaning container 312 before being routed on the transport system tocontainers 319. Deployment of the nodes from the node storage andhandling system 300 is generally done in a reverse manner as describedabove, such that the nodes are retrieved from the storage containers,passed through the service and downloading/charging containers, and thento the deployment system.

While not shown in the figures, the disclosed node handling and storagesystem has one or more computer systems configured to automate one ormore processes of the node handling system. In one embodiment, eachcontainer has a control system and/or programmable logic controller(PLC) configured to regulate and/or control the conveyor systems andprocesses within the container. In one embodiment each container mayhave a predefined set of operations and functions and can operateindependently of the other containers. Different containers may havedifferent sets of modes. For example, the storage container may have thefollowing modes that can be selected/performed: service, stop, deploy,convey forward, retrieve, and convey backwards. Such functions can berun locally or requested by higher-level control. Likewise, each devicemay have a set of modes and/or commands For example, the singlerotatable conveyor may have the following commands: transport, receive,send, and rotate. A motor coupled to the conveyor will receive inputparameters controlled from the container functions, processes, andsequences. A series of logic controls (e.g., is the node in the rightposition, is the next conveyor or container ready to accept the node, isthe storage shelf full, is the container full, etc.) may be executed foreach control system related to each device.

In some embodiments, all transport systems may be controlled by a mastercontrol system in one container. The control system of one container maybe coupled to the control system of another container, such that thespeed of one container (such as the servicing container) controls therate of deployment or storage with another container (such as thestorage container).

In still other embodiments, each container has a plurality of controlsub-systems each coupled to an electronic device (e.g., conveyor, motor,elevator, cleaning unit, motion controller, etc.). Each device may havea motor, position encoder, and computer system coupled to that device.Each node may have a node identification (such as located on a RFIDtag), and the node handling system may have a plurality of RFID readerslocated at various points within the containers and/or transport systemfor identification of the nodes within the node handling system. Thesystem may report RFID data on each node received and sent. RFID datamay be exchanged between each control system and/or PLC. In oneembodiment, at all times the location and status of each node can isknown and/or can be determined by a master control system. The nodehandling system may also include a plurality of motion controllers forsensing the speed of node movement from one location to another locationand/or to confirm that a node has moved from one position to anotherposition. One goal of the control system may be to make the nodehandling and storage system as automated and user independent aspossible, as well as to regulate and/or control the entire node handlingand storage process and system from a single location. The location maybe on the marine vessel with the node and handling system, on a separatevessel, or at a more remote location such as from the shore or a remoteoffice.

Transport/Conveyor System

As mentioned above, the disclosed embodiment may comprise one or moreconveyors systems in one or more containers of the node handling system.The conveyor system is configured to move nodes to and from the nodehandling system and the node deployment system, to and from thedifferent containers, and to and from different locations in aparticular container. Thus, a conveyor system may include numerous typesof conveyor sub-systems, such as conveyor systems that rotate anindividual node in a plurality of directions, conveyor systems that movethe node to a different height and/or elevation, and conveyor systemsthat transport the node horizontally or laterally in a specificdirection. The conveyor system may be autonomous, semi-autonomous, ormanual. The conveyor system is sized and configured for the particularsize of node utilized. Differently sized nodes may require slightmodifications to the conveyor systems described herein, all withinknowledge of one of skill in the art.

FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment in which each storage container (aswell as other containers, such as the downloading/charging container)comprises a transportation device (such as a conveyor belt), which actsas a route for the nodes to pass from container to container, verticalhoisting within the container for a single node or group of nodes, andredirection and rotation within the container for a single node or groupof nodes. In a preferred embodiment, the transportation system movesnodes from container to container (cross container conveying) and alsomove nodes within each container from the entry point to that containerto the desired location of the node within that container (whether forstorage, downloading, charging, or servicing). The cross containerconveyor system can be comprised of a different conveyor system in eachcontainer that is coupled to the adjacent container's conveyor system,or can be part of a unitary conveyor system that is integrally connectedwith all of the containers.

Inside each container one or more conveyors are placed adjacent to eachof the side openings in the container. In addition, a small intermediateconveyor is placed in each opening between adjacent containers. Thetypes of conveyors utilized in each container depend on the operationsperformed in the specific container. Conveyor systems and devices may bemounted at a fixed height or onto an elevator unit. FIGS. 5A-Hillustrate various components of a conveyor system utilized in thedisclosed node storage and handling system. More or less conveyorsystems and devices can be utilized based on the configuration of thenode handling and storage system as a whole and the configurationswithin each container.

FIG. 5A shows one embodiment of a single rotatable node conveyor 510.Rotatable conveyor 510 is configured to hold one node, and is mountedonto rotation unit base 512 that rotates 90° or 180° back and forthdriven by rotation motor 518. The conveyor has a set of two rubbertracks or high friction conveyor belts 514 that are sized to engageopposite ends of a node. Belts 514 are coupled to one or more wheels ordrive shaft 516 that are configured to rotate the belts for movement ofthe nodes in multiple directions (e.g., back and forth) driven by anelectric motor 517. Both the conveyor belts and the rotation unit areelectrically driven by their respective servo motor and positioned bytheir respective servo motor encoder. The encoder is used to provideposition, rotation, and/or velocity information to the control system asrequired to correctly position and control the motion of the conveyorbelt and orientation of the rotatable conveyor 510. In one embodiment,one of the plurality of wheels is coupled to a driveshaft that iscoupled to an electric motor. In addition, the conveyor 510 may havephotocells for timing the position of a node when travelling onto theconveyor. Rotation unit base 512 may be coupled for attachment to afixed object or frame within a container. Rotatable conveyors can bemounted at a fixed or variable height. FIG. 5B shows one embodiment of aplurality of single rotatable conveyors 510 positioned next to eachother, which may form one or more of the cross container conveyingsystems utilized in the disclosed embodiment. As shown, nodes can betransferred from one conveyor to an adjacent conveyor to transport thenodes within a conveyor and/or to an adjacent position. In oneembodiment, a storage container 318 comprises five electrically drivenconveyors 510 (corresponding to the number of storage racks that arecontained in the container) that can be operated individually, with eachconveyor 510 being capable of at least a 90 degree rotation to changedirection of the nodes from being moved from container to container toconveying the nodes through an individual container.

FIG. 5C shows one embodiment of a lateral conveyor system 520. Thissystem is similar to a rotatable conveyor 510 (e.g., it has conveyorbelts 524 and wheels 526) but does not rotate as a unit in differentdirections. In one embodiment, this conveyor can hold three or morenodes at a time. It may be positioned adjacent one or more lateralconveyors or rotatable conveyors. In one embodiment, a container mayhave a lateral conveyor 520 positioned between a plurality of rotatableconveyors 510. A lateral conveyor may be used to transfer nodes betweencontainers, or it may be coupled to an elevator lift or a node storagerack to move nodes within a container for charging, downloading, and/orstorage.

FIGS. 5D and 5E illustrate one embodiment of a lift system 530 utilizedin the conveyor system. For some of the containers, such asdownloading/charging container 314 and storage container 318, the nodesmust be lifted to different rack levels for storage and/ordownloading/charging of the nodes. Thus, some of the containers need tohave an elevator/lift system to move the nodes to the appropriatevertical height of a node rack/shelf. The cross-container conveyorsystem in these containers may be coupled and/or mounted to an elevator530. Elevator 530 may be comprised of a rack and pinion system coupledto a braked servo motor. In one embodiment, elevator system 530comprises a plurality of vertical posts 532 each coupled to a groovedrack 534. A plurality of pinions 536 are coupled to a shaft that iscoupled to a motor 538 that is mounted on a lateral support frame 539.The motor is configured to move the plurality of pinions 536 up and downthe plurality of racks 534 as appropriate, thereby lifting the lateralsupport frame 539 up and down in unison. The elevator mechanism 530 maybe located on one end of the container, and the vertical posts 532 maybe fastened to the container at or near the corners of the container. Inone embodiment, the same elevator 530 may be used in both thedownloading/charging container and the storage container, only equippedwith different conveyors and configured to move to different workingheights. The elevator system 530 may have a frame onto which a pluralityof conveyor systems can be mounted. FIG. 5E shows one embodiment ofelevator mechanism 530 coupled to a plurality of conveyor systems onwhich a plurality of nodes 110 are positioned. In one embodiment, aplurality of rotatable conveyors 510 are positioned on each side of alateral conveyor 520. One of the rotatable conveyors is shown in arotated (90 degrees) position. The elevator mechanism is configured tomove the plurality of conveyors to the appropriate height forpositioning of the nodes onto one or more node racks for storage and/ordownloading/charging. Also shown is an intermediate conveyor 515 thatmay or may not be fastened to the elevator mechanism. In one embodiment,intermediate conveyor 515 is positioned in the opening or hole sectionbetween adjacent containers. Intermediate conveyor may be coupled to itsown motor and/or drive system. In one embodiment, intermediate conveyoris not configured to rotate and only moves the nodes from container tocontainer through each container side opening.

FIG. 5F illustrates one embodiment of an elongated lateral conveyorsystem 540. The elongated lateral conveyor system 540 may besubstantially similar to lateral conveyor system 520 in that they bothhave a plurality of belts 544 and a plurality of wheels 546 that arecoupled to at least one motor or drive system. The elongated lateralconveyor system 540 may be narrower than the lateral conveyor system 520so that it can fit between the node racks/shelves of a particularcontainer. Because the elongated conveyor system 540 is long—and may beas long as the side of a container and/or the length of a storagerack—one or more intermediate pulleys, rollers, and/or motors may beneeded (not shown) that facilitates movement of the plurality of belts.Elongated system 540 may be a stationary conveyor system that is mountedat a fixed height within a node rack system. In other embodiments, itmay be coupled to a lift system, such as that shown in FIG. 5G, to movebetween different node racks. Lift system 550 is shown in FIG. 5G andmay be utilized to move a plurality of nodes onto a node rack and atdifferent positions within the node rack. In one embodiment, lift system550 may comprise a base 554 that is mounted to the bottom of thecontainer, a scissors lift 552 that slides along the base and isactuated to an extended or retracted position by hydraulic cylinder 556,an electro-mechanical screw jack, or other lifting device. Lift 552 maybe coupled to lateral conveyor 540. Lift system 550 may be configured tomove to a plurality of node racks at a plurality of vertical heights andto position the plurality of nodes on the node racks. In one embodiment,lift system 550 and elongated conveyor system 540 are positionedsubstantially perpendicular to the cross conveyor system and/orplurality of conveyors as is shown in FIGS. 5B and 5E.

As shown in FIG. 3, storage containers may be stacked on top of eachother to form a first plurality of storage containers on lower deck 318and a second plurality of storage containers on upper deck 328, with anelevator mechanism 340 that transfers the nodes from the lower deck tothe upper deck. FIG. 5H shows one embodiment of elevator mechanism 560(which may be substantially similar to elevator mechanism 340) from aside view perspective. The elevator itself may be comprised of multipleconveyer belts or lifting mechanisms 564 to transfer the nodes betweenthe lower and upper storage containers 318 and 328, respectively.Lifting mechanism 564 may be similar to elevator mechanism 530 or liftmechanism 550. Each lifting mechanism 564 may be coupled to a rotatableconveyor device 562, which may be substantially similar to rotatableconveyor 510. A cross conveyor system 566 may transport a plurality ofnodes through a side container opening (not shown) to lifting mechanism564, which may move the node to a second hole contained in the seconddeck storage container 328. A cross conveyor system 568 in storagecontainer 328 may be configured to receive the nodes from the elevatormechanism and position them into the appropriate storage rack, similarto how nodes are stored in storage container 318. In one embodiment, thecompartment of elevator mechanism 340 has a vertical height equal to thecombined container heights of the lower and upper containers. For otherembodiments, the elevator compartment may be less than the combinedheights of the lower and upper containers and only tall enough to movethe nodes to the second layer of storage containers.

Containers

Referring now to FIGS. 6-9, these figures show exemplary arrangements ofspecific components of the containers shown in FIG. 3. Variations ofthese containers (and the stations and components and arrangementsdescribed therein) falls within the scope of this disclosure. In oneembodiment, the length of each container is a standard size ofapproximately 20 feet.

FIGS. 6A and 6B show one embodiment of cleaning container 600 (which maybe substantially similar to cleaning container 312), which includes oneor more washing and drying units 605 to remove dirt, debris, andseawater from the nodes. FIG. 6A shows container 600 from a topperspective and FIG. 6B shows container 600 from a side perspective.Washing/drying units 605 may be integrated units or the container maycomprise a plurality of separate washing units and drying units. Thenodes are preferably cleaned and dried after being retrieved from theocean. The cleaning can be performed by an automated process or bypersonnel on the vessel. The washing stations 605 may include highpressure nozzles oriented to wash different sections of the nodes. Thewashing stations 605 may also include rotatable conveyors inside eachwashing container that are configured to properly align and/or rotatethe node for cleaning and/or handling in the node storage and handlingsystem. In one embodiment, each of the plurality of cleaning units 605comprises a different process to clean, wash, and/or dry the nodes.Cleaning container 600 comprises an entry/exit point to the nodehandling system that may be coupled to an entry/exit conveyor system 660that moves the nodes to and from the node deployment system and the nodehandling system. Cleaning container 600 comprises a portion of conveyorsystem 350. A first conveyor system 610 may comprise one or more lateralor rotatable conveyor systems 612 that transfers one or more nodes fromthe entry/exit point conveyor 660 through the plurality ofwashing/drying units 605. In one embodiment, each washing/drying unit iscoupled to an internal lateral conveyor system 612 that moves the nodesthrough the unit and to the next unit or station. In one embodiment,first conveyor system 610 is substantially positioned on one side of thecontainer and is coupled to a second conveyor system 620 that issubstantially positioned on one end of the container, such that conveyorsystem 610 is substantially perpendicular to conveyor system 620.Because conveyor system 620 assists in the movement of nodes fromcontainer to container, it may also be considered as a cross-containerconveyor system or part of a cross-container conveyor system. Conveyorsystem 620 may include a first rotatable node conveyor 622, a lateralnode conveyor 624, a second rotatable node conveyor 626, and anintermediate conveyor 628. Other conveyor devices, components, andsystems are possible and may be coupled together in a variety ofconfigurations to move nodes from one container or section to anothercontainer or section. In other embodiments, a plurality of conveyorsystems may be located at different heights in the container totransport more nodes and/or to act as a backup in case the primaryconveyor system fails. In one embodiment, first rotatable node conveyor622 is configured to receive a node from conveyor system 610 andconveyor 624. Rotatable node conveyor 622 is configured to rotate tore-position the node as necessary. Rotatable node conveyor 622 rotatesapproximately 90 degrees to receive and send nodes to adjacent positionson the conveyor system. Conveyor 624 moves one or more nodes in a singledirection from node conveyor 622 to node conveyor 626, and vice versa.In one embodiment, it is approximately three times in length (e.g.,sized to convey three nodes at a time) as the rotatable single nodeconveyor. Likewise, second rotatable node conveyor 626 is configured toreceive and send nodes to adjacent positions between conveyor 624 andintermediate conveyor 628 or a storage conveyor 629 to be used totemporarily hold nodes during recovery or deployment. Hole or opening640 in the container side wall is sized and positioned for the nodes andany conveyor system to pass the nodes from one container to the adjacentcontainer. In one embodiment, opening 640 is located at approximatelythe same height as the conveyor system 620. Intermediate conveyor 628 issubstantially positioned in opening 640 and is configured to move nodesfrom one container to the other container and in one embodiment from oneconveyor system in one container to another conveyor system in anothercontainer. Cleaning container 600 may have open space for operators andother personnel to view and/or assist in the cleaning of the nodes asnecessary.

FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 7C show one embodiment of charging/downloadingcontainer 700 (which may be substantially similar tocharging/downloading container 314). FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate a top, side,and front schematic of the container, respectively. Further, FIG. 7Cshows a plurality of nodes 110 positioned on the conveyor system andnode racks from an end/front view of the container. Charging/downloadingcontainer 700 is configured to recharge and/or power the power supplies(e.g., batteries) of the nodes and to transfer data to and from thenodes (e.g., seismic data acquired during the seismic survey). In oneembodiment, charging/downloading container 700 comprises one or moreconveyor systems 720, one or more node racks 760, and one or morecharging/downloading systems 770 with an interlocked safety barrier.

Container 700 may have at least two separate charging/downloading racks760 that store a plurality of nodes for charging and/or downloading. Thesize and configuration of the racks depends on the configuration of thecontainer and dimensions of the node. In one embodiment (with a nodesize of approximately 350 mm by 350 mm by 150 mm), each rack 760 maycomprise eleven rows (or levels) 762 at different vertical heights thateach holds approximately eleven nodes per row. Thus, approximately 242nodes (121 nodes per rack) can be charged and/or downloaded in thecharging/downloading container at any given time. Of course, more orless racks and rows can be utilized to achieve a higher or lower nodecapacity. In another embodiment, only three rows (or levels) are usedper rack, each of which stores ten nodes per row, providing a capacityof approximately 60 nodes. In one embodiment, the racks are more thanhalf of the length of the container 700, and in other embodiments, theracks are substantially the length of the container 700. Each rackand/or row may be coupled to a conveyor and charging/downloading system,as described in more detail below. The racks may be configured with sideand top guards on each row to prevent the nodes from falling off of theracks during vessel movement. Safety locks may be utilized for the entryand exit points on each row to prevent nodes from falling off.

In one embodiment, conveyor system 720 is configured to receive and sendnodes to adjacent containers and to transport nodes to and from the noderacks for charging and/or downloading. Thus, in one embodiment a firstconveyor system 720 is substantially positioned on one end of thecontainer that is coupled to one or more second conveyor systems 710that are substantially positioned on one or more sides of the container,such that conveyor system 710 is substantially perpendicular to conveyorsystem 720. Because conveyor system 720 assists in the movement of nodesfrom container to container, it may also be considered as across-container conveyor system or part of a cross-container conveyorsystem. Conveyor system 720 may include a first rotatable node conveyor722, a lateral node conveyor 724, a second rotatable node conveyor 726,and an intermediate conveyor 728. Other conveyor devices, components,and systems are possible and maybe coupled together in a variety ofconfigurations to move nodes from one container or section to anothercontainer or section. For example, if additional racks are utilized forcharging/downloading and are positioned in the middle of the container,five rotatable node conveyors may be utilized instead of merely two. Inone embodiment, first rotatable node conveyor 722 is configured toreceive and send nodes to and from intermediate conveyor 628. Rotatablenode conveyor 722 rotates approximately 90 degrees to receive and sendnodes to a first portion of conveyor system 710. Conveyor 724 moves oneor more nodes in a single direction from node conveyor 722 to nodeconveyor 726, and vice versa. In one embodiment, it is approximatelythree times in length (e.g., sized to convey three nodes at a time) asthe rotatable single node conveyor. Likewise, rotatable node conveyor726 rotates approximately 90 degrees to receive and send nodes to asecond portion of conveyor system 710. Second rotatable node conveyor726 is also configured to receive and send nodes between conveyor 724and conveyor 728. Hole or opening 740 in the container side wall issized and positioned for the nodes and any conveyor systems to pass thenodes from one container to the adjacent container. Intermediateconveyor 728 is substantially positioned in opening 740 and isconfigured to move nodes from one container to the other container andin one embodiment from one conveyor system in one container to anotherconveyor system in another container.

As mentioned above, conveyor system 720 is configured to transport nodesto and from the node racks for charging and/or downloading and conveyorsystem 710 is substantially positioned on one or more sides of thecontainer and may be coupled to node racks 760. A wide variety oftransport systems can be utilized to transport the nodes to the racks(and each level of the racks) and to various positions along the rack.In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7B, each level of the rack has alateral conveyor 712 that runs substantially the length of the rack.Thus, if the container has 22 rows (11 rows per rack), approximately 22conveyors 712 are needed. Conveyor 712 is configured to move nodes froma first end of conveyor 712 to a second end of conveyor 712. Theconveyor 712 is configured to move nodes to and from conveyor system720.

Because the plurality of conveyors 712 are arranged at various heights,transport system 720 is configured to move a plurality of nodes to theplurality of conveyors 712 at different heights. In one embodiment,transport system 720 is coupled to an elevator mechanism 725 (discussedin more detail in relation to FIGS. 5D and 5E) that is configured tolift the transport mechanism 720 (and any nodes that are located on theconveyor 720) to the appropriate heights. A single node or a pluralityof nodes may be lifted to the desired height. In one embodiment,conveyor system 720 is configured to hold five nodes (e.g., two nodes onthe two rotatable conveyors 722 and 726 and three nodes on lateralconveyor 724). Once the desired number of nodes are positioned onconveyor 720, elevator mechanism 725 moves to the appropriate height ofthe desired rack row. Either rotatable conveyor 722 or 726 rotates thenode to the correct orientation or position and then moves the node tothe rack row 762 (or a conveyor 712 on the rack row 762). In oneembodiment, the power and/or electrical connections of the node areoriented towards the inside of the container, such that operators canattach cable connectors to each of the nodes. Lateral conveyor 724 movesadditional nodes (one at a time) to rotatable conveyor 722 or 726, whichagain moves the node to the rack. In one embodiment, transport system710 is electronically synchronized and/or coupled to transport system720 such that as nodes are transferred between the systems, conveyors oneach system move appropriately to receive and/or send the nodes. Forexample, as a node is transported from rotatable node 722 to conveyor712, conveyor 712 may be configured to advance one position(approximately the length of one node) such that additional space on theconveyor is made available to receive an additional node. Once all ofthe node positions on a given rack level are taken, elevator mechanism725 is programmed to move to another rack level for the transport ofadditional nodes.

In one embodiment, charging/downloading system 770 is configured tocouple to each of the plurality of nodes that are located on the noderacks 760. Such downloading and/or charging can be done on an individualnode basis or simultaneously for a plurality of nodes, and can be doneby autonomous, semi-autonomous, or manual methods. Wires or cables canbe attached or coupled (via automated or manual processes) to each nodefor individual node recharging and/or data transfer. For example,charging/downloading container 700 may have an open space for operatorsand other personnel to assist in the charging and/or downloading of thenodes, such as by connecting cables to the nodes for power and/or datatransfer. In other embodiments, one or more electrical contacts on thenode racks can be used for charging an entire row of nodes. For example,the node racks may have rail mechanisms from which a correspondinggroove on the node can fit, and the rail and corresponding node groovesmay have electrical contacts for charging or powering the node, as wellas data transfer. In an alternative embodiment, each of the nodes may becharged or powered via wireless means (such as electromagnetic oroptical links), which can take place on the node racks 760 or in someother portion of the container. Data can be transferred from or to thenode from a plurality of network connections. In one embodiment, eachnode has a separate network connection to the charging/downloadingsystem 770. Thus, if the node racks are configured to hold 242 nodes,approximately 242 network connections may be coupled to the node racks.

FIGS. 8A and 8B show one embodiment of service container 800 (which maybe substantially similar to service container 316). FIGS. 8A-8Billustrate a top and side schematic of the container, respectively.Service container 800 is configured to facilitate inspection,maintenance, and servicing of the nodes. If a node requires a batterychange (and not just a recharge of the batteries), that operation mayneed to be performed in the service container. Likewise, if a node has aproblem and/or requires technical servicing, it may be repaired andsubject to testing in the service container. Service container 800 mayinclude one or more transport systems 820, one or more workbenches 802,and various storage compartments 803. Transport systems contained inthis container may be similar to the other transport systems in othercontainers. In one embodiment, the transport system 820 is configured toreceive and send nodes to adjacent containers and to transport nodeswithin the service container to a workbench. A first conveyor system 820may be substantially positioned on one end of the container and coupledto one or more second conveyor systems 810 that are substantiallypositioned on one or more sides of the container, such that conveyorsystem 810 is substantially perpendicular to conveyor system 820.Conveyor system 820 may include a first rotatable node conveyor 822, alateral node conveyor 824, a second rotatable node conveyor 826, and anintermediate conveyor 828. Other conveyor devices, components, andsystems are possible and maybe coupled together in a variety ofconfigurations to move nodes from one container or section to anothercontainer or section. In one embodiment, first rotatable node conveyor822 is configured to receive and send nodes to and from intermediateconveyor 728. Rotatable node conveyor 822 is configured to rotateapproximately 90 degrees to receive and send nodes to a first portion ofconveyor system 810. Conveyor 824 moves one or more nodes in a singledirection from node conveyor 822 to node conveyor 826, and vice versa.In one embodiment, it is approximately three times in length (e.g.,sized to convey three nodes at a time) as the rotatable single nodeconveyor. Likewise, rotatable node conveyor 826 rotates approximately 90degrees to receive and send nodes to a second portion of conveyor system810. Second rotatable node conveyor 826 is also configured to receiveand send nodes between conveyor 824 and conveyor 828. Hole or opening840 in the container side wall is sized and positioned for the nodes andany conveyor systems to pass the nodes from one container to theadjacent container. Intermediate conveyor 828 is substantiallypositioned in opening 840 and is configured to move nodes from onecontainer to the other container and in one embodiment from one conveyorsystem in one container to another conveyor system in another container.Conveyor system 810 may comprise one or more lateral conveyors, whichmay be utilized to transfer nodes from conveyor system 820 to one ormore workstations or workbenches 802.

FIGS. 9A-9C show one embodiment of storage container 900 (which may besubstantially similar to storage container 318). FIGS. 9A-9C illustratea top, side, and front schematic of the container, respectively.Further, FIG. 9C shows a plurality of nodes positioned on the conveyorsystem from an end/front view of the container. Storage container 900 isconfigured to hold a high capacity of nodes before and after beingdeployed in the sea. In one embodiment, each storage container is astandard 20 foot container and holds between approximately 500 to 1000nodes. Storage container 900 may comprise one or more conveyor systemsand one or more storage racks 960. The size and configuration of theracks depends on the configuration of the container and dimensions ofthe node. Each rack 960 may comprise a series of rows (or levels) atdifferent heights for storage of a plurality of nodes. In oneembodiment, storage container 900 comprises five racks 960, each ofwhich has fifteen rows (or levels) 962 with each configured to storethirteen nodes per row for a total storage of approximately 975 nodesper container. If only twelve rows are used, each container may holdapproximately 780 nodes. Various configurations and more or less racksand rows can be utilized to achieve a higher or lower node capacity. Forexample, the container may be configured with a number of racksconfigured with rows that hold twelve nodes or less with the remainingracks having rows configured to hold thirteen nodes. In one embodiment,the racks are more than half of the length of the container 900, and inother embodiments, the racks are substantially the length of thecontainer 900. In one embodiment, there is no room for movement in thestorage container by operators when it is fully loaded with nodes.

In one embodiment, conveyor system 920 is configured to receive and sendnodes to adjacent containers and to transport nodes to and from the noderacks for storage. Thus, in one embodiment conveyor system comprises afirst conveyor system 920 that is substantially positioned on one end ofthe container that is coupled to one or more second conveyor systems 910that are substantially positioned parallel to the sides of thecontainer, such that conveyor system 910 is substantially perpendicularto conveyor system 920. Conveyor system 920 may include a plurality ofrotatable node conveyors 922 and intermediate conveyor 928. Otherconveyor devices, components, and systems are possible and maybe coupledtogether in a variety of configurations to move nodes from one containeror section to another container or section. For example, if five nodestorage racks 960 are utilized, then five rotatable node conveyors 922may be necessary. In one embodiment, a first rotatable node conveyor 922is configured to receive and send nodes to and from intermediateconveyor 828. Rotatable node conveyor 922 is configured to rotate toreceive and send nodes from adjacent portions of the conveyor system andto one of the node storage racks 960. Hole or opening 940 in thecontainer side wall is sized and positioned for the nodes and anyconveyor systems to pass the nodes from one container to the adjacentcontainer. Intermediate conveyor 928 is substantially positioned inopening 940 and is configured to move nodes from one container to theother container and in one embodiment from one conveyor system in onecontainer to another conveyor system in another container.

In one embodiment, each rack may have has its own conveyor system,similar to the downloading/charging racks 760. Similar to the transportsystem for the downloading/charging container 700, conveyor system 920is configured to move a node from a position on conveyor system 920 byrotating node conveyor 922 by 90 degrees to position a node onto aconveyor 966 on each rack row. Rather than each row having its ownconveyor system, the storage racks may comprise a plurality of levels,each with one or more storage mechanisms to hold and/or store aplurality of nodes. For example, each level or row of a storage rack maycomprise a plurality of bars, rods, or rails 962 upon which one or morenodes can be positioned. In one embodiment, conveyor system 910comprises a lateral conveyor 966 that may be attached or coupled to alifting or hoisting mechanism 968 (such as a scissors lift) that isconfigured to raise conveyor 966 to a certain height, such as the heightof each row. In one embodiment, lateral conveyor 966 is substantiallythe length of storage racks 960. During transfer of the nodes to andfrom storage racks 960, lateral conveyor 966 may be positioned slightlyabove rails 962 so that the nodes do not touch the rails, racks, and/orshelves. Once the desired number of nodes have been transferred fromconveyor system 920 to conveyor 966, lifting mechanism 968 lowerslateral conveyor 966 a predetermined distance, which allows engagementand/or contact of a plurality of nodes to rails 962. In other words,lowering of lifting mechanism 968 (and the coupled conveyor 966) allowsthe plurality of nodes to dropped or be set on top of rails 962. Thelateral conveyor 966 can be lowered to a lower level/row of the rack forstoring another plurality of nodes. In one embodiment, the rows on theuppermost level of the racks are filled first, and each lower level issubsequently filled to capacity with the desired number of nodes. Indeployment mode, nodes from the lowermost level of the racks aredeployed first. Thus, the system may be a first in last out (FILO)storage system. As each level is deployed, the elevator mechanism 968raises the conveyor 966 to touch and/or engage the bottom portions ofthe nodes and then lifts or raises the nodes from contact with the rails962. In one embodiment, the width of conveyor 966 and lifting mechanism968 is less than the horizontal distance between a first and second rail962 so as to freely move the entire vertical distance of rack 960. Othertransport systems and devices can be utilized to transport the nodes tothe racks (and each level of the racks) and to various positions alongthe rack.

Because the plurality of racks have multiples rows/levels at variousheights, transport system 920 is configured to move a plurality of nodesto the plurality of racks 960 at different heights. In one embodiment,transport system 920 (which is substantially similar to transport system720) is coupled to an elevator mechanism 925 that is configured to liftthe transport mechanism 920 (and any nodes that are located on theconveyor 920) to the appropriate heights. Once the desired number ofnodes are positioned on conveyor 920, elevator mechanism 925 moves tothe appropriate height of the desired rack row. In some embodiments, aplurality of nodes are moved to a rack 960 in serial fashion, and inother embodiments a plurality of nodes are moved to a plurality of racks960 in parallel fashion. Once all of the node positions on a given racklevel are taken, elevator mechanism 925 is programmed and/or instructedto move to another rack level for the positioning of additional nodes.After the nodes on conveyor 920 have been transferred to one or moreracks 960, conveyor 920 is lowered to a base or standard level (e.g.,approximately the same height as openings 840 and 940) and re-configuredto receive additional nodes from the transport system of the adjacentcontainer. Conversely, in deployment mode, once conveyor 920 is full ofnodes from a specific rack level, conveyor 920 is lowered down to apredetermined height so that conveyor 920 is coupled to the transportsystem of an adjacent container.

Many other variations in overall configuration, style of nodes, numberand arrangement of containers and compartments are possible within thescope of the invention. As one example, the charging/downloading andworkshop containers can be included in one larger area of combinedand/or integrated containers. In one embodiment, one container may be acharging container and another container may be a downloading container;in other embodiments the charging and/or downloading functions may beperformed at other locations in the node handling and storage system. Asanother example, the path through the containers the nodes take fordeployment can be different than the path the nodes take once they arerecovered from the sea and removed from the cable. As another example,different containers may have different types of conveyor systems. Instill another embodiment, a plurality of cross-container conveyorsystems may be used, whether on different ends of the containers orwhether they are at different vertical heights on the same end of thecontainer. In still other embodiments, the nodes may be transported fromthe node handling system to the node deployment system (and vice versa)via any one or more of the containers, such as from a cleaningcontainer, service container, downloading/charging container, and/orstorage container. It is emphasized that the foregoing embodiments areonly examples of the very many different structural and materialconfigurations that are possible within the scope of the presentinvention.

Although the invention(s) is/are described herein with reference tospecific embodiments, various modifications and changes can be madewithout departing from the scope of the present invention(s), as setforth in the claims below. Accordingly, the specification and figuresare to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense,and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scopeof the present invention(s). Any benefits, advantages, or solutions toproblems that are described herein with regard to specific embodimentsare not intended to be construed as a critical, required, or essentialfeature or element of any or all the claims.

Unless stated otherwise, terms such as “first” and “second” are used toarbitrarily distinguish between the elements such terms describe. Thus,these terms are not necessarily intended to indicate temporal or otherprioritization of such elements. The terms “coupled” or “operablycoupled” are defined as connected, although not necessarily directly,and not necessarily mechanically. The terms “a” and “an” are defined asone or more unless stated otherwise. The terms “comprise” (and any formof comprise, such as “comprises” and “comprising”), “have” (and any formof have, such as “has” and “having”), “include” (and any form ofinclude, such as “includes” and “including”) and “contain” (and any formof contain, such as “contains” and “containing”) are open-ended linkingverbs. As a result, a system, device, or apparatus that “comprises,”“has,” “includes” or “contains” one or more elements possesses those oneor more elements but is not limited to possessing only those one or moreelements. Similarly, a method or process that “comprises,” “has,”“includes” or “contains” one or more operations possesses those one ormore operations but is not limited to possessing only those one or moreoperations.

1. An autonomous seismic node handling system, comprising: a pluralityof autonomous seismic nodes; a plurality of portable storage containers,each configured to hold at least a portion of the plurality ofautonomous seismic nodes, wherein the plurality of portable storagecontainers are located on a back deck of a marine vessel, wherein theplurality of portable storage containers are arranged side by side; anda transport system located within each of the plurality of portablestorage containers that is configured to transport the plurality ofseismic nodes between each of the plurality of portable storagecontainers.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein a length of the transportsystem is approximately the same as a width of at least one of theplurality of portable storage containers.
 3. The system of claim 1,wherein the transport system is configured to transfer the plurality ofseismic nodes through a side of at least one of the plurality ofportable storage containers.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein thetransport system comprises a plurality of conveyor units.
 5. The systemof claim 1, wherein the transport system is configured for vertical andlateral movement of the plurality of nodes within each of the pluralityof portable storage containers.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein eachof the plurality of portable storage containers comprises a plurality ofcolumns of storage racks, wherein each column has a plurality of levelsthat is configured to hold a portion of the plurality of nodes, whereinthe transport system is configured to move more an autonomous seismicnode to more than one of the plurality of storage racks at substantiallythe same time.
 7. An autonomous seismic node handling system,comprising: a plurality of portable storage containers located on a backdeck of a marine vessel, each configured to hold a plurality ofautonomous seismic nodes, wherein the storage system comprises aplurality of columns of storage racks, wherein each column has aplurality of levels that is configured to hold a portion of theplurality of nodes; a transport system located within each of theplurality of portable storage containers that is configured to move theplurality of autonomous seismic nodes within each of the plurality ofportable storage containers; and a lift system coupled to the transportsystem and configured to raise and lower the transport system to aheight of each of the plurality of levels.
 8. The system of claim 7,wherein the lift system is configured to hold more than one of theplurality of autonomous seismic nodes at the same time at substantiallythe same height.
 9. The system of claim 7, wherein the transport systemis configured to rotate at least one autonomous seismic node atsubstantially the same time to each of the plurality of columns ofstorage racks.
 10. The system of claim 7, wherein the transport systemis configured to move at least one autonomous seismic node to each ofthe plurality of columns of storage racks at substantially the sametime.
 11. The system of claim 7, wherein the lift system comprises arack and pinion system.
 12. The system of claim 7, wherein the liftsystem has a first end coupled to a first post and a second end coupledto a second post, wherein the lift system is configured to move up anddown the first and second posts at the same time.
 13. The system ofclaim 7, wherein the lift system is located substantially at one end ateach of the plurality of portable storage containers.
 14. An autonomousseismic node handling system, comprising: a plurality of autonomousseismic nodes; a first plurality of portable containers, each configuredto hold at a first portion of the plurality of autonomous seismic nodes,wherein the plurality of portable containers are located on a back deckof a marine vessel; a second plurality of portable containers, eachconfigured to hold a second portion of the plurality of autonomousseismic nodes, wherein the plurality of portable containers are locatedon the back deck of the marine vessel, wherein the second plurality ofportable containers is configured to be placed on top of the firstplurality of portable containers; and a vertical transport system thatis configured to vertically transport at least some of the plurality ofseismic nodes between the first plurality of portable containers and thesecond plurality of portable containers.
 15. The system of claim 14,wherein at least one of the first plurality of portable containers has afirst transport system at a first height and at least one of the secondplurality of portable containers has a second transport system at asecond height, wherein the vertical transport system is configured tomove at least some of the plurality of seismic nodes from the firstheight to the second height.
 16. The system of claim 14, wherein thevertical transport system is located within at least one of theplurality of storage containers.
 17. The system of claim 14, wherein thevertical transport system is located exterior to the plurality ofstorage containers.
 18. A method for automatically transporting aplurality of seismic nodes on the deck of a marine vessel, comprising:positioning a first plurality of autonomous seismic nodes in a firstportable storage container on a back deck of a marine vessel; and movingthe first plurality of autonomous seismic nodes from the first portablestorage container to a second portable storage container, wherein themoving step is through a side wall of the first portable storagecontainer and a side wall of the second portable storage container. 19.The method of claim 18, further comprising raising the first pluralityof autonomous seismic nodes within the second portable storage containerto a first height at substantially the same time.
 20. The method ofclaim 18, further comprising transferring the first plurality ofautonomous seismic nodes onto one or more storage racks located withinthe second portable storage container.
 21. The method of claim 18,further comprising transferring the first plurality of autonomousseismic nodes onto a plurality of storage racks located within thesecond portable storage container at substantially the same time.